Thorns from the Rose
by belasgrl
Summary: Joey is 16 years old and learning more about herself while going through some trying times. She's just a typical teenager, more or less.


16 year-old Joey went over to her best friend's, Christy's, house. At 6:00, Mr. Peabody dropped Joey off. As Joey got off the motorscooter, the canine said, "Have fun, Josephine, and be safe."

Joey kissed his cheek. "I will. It's just a small celebration. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, sweetheart. Call me when you're ready to go."

Joey agreed and said goodbye, then went to the front door of the Dawson house. Christy answered the door and hugged Joey. "I'm so glad you came, Jo!"

Joey walked into the house, smiling. "Let me see it. I know you're dying to show me."

Christy couldn't contain her excitement and handed Joey a brand-new driver's license. Joey beamed, happy for her friend. "I'm so excited!" Christy said. "I'll be able to get a car after I get a job and save up."

They went into the living room, where a couple of girls their age were, including a new student at their school. "Joey, you know Ivy and Leah."

Joey greeted them. "Leah, you're the new girl, aren't you?"

Leah nodded. She spoke with a French accent. "Yes. I'm here for a few months."

Joey smiled, turning her attention to Christy when she spoke. "Well, everyone is here, and I've got all the snacks set out. We just have to pick a movie."

The girls got their plates and got snacks while they tried to decide on a movie to watch. Joey, more focused on the movies than the food, chose one she thought Christy would like. Christy said, "I didn't think you liked action flicks much."

"I don't, but you do," Joey said, picking up a paper plate.

"We should watch a rom-com. Those are always fun," stated Ivy.

Joey dropped the plate she was holding. Luckily, she hadn't gotten any food yet. Christy quickly noticed and said, "Uh, I'm not really in the mood for one of those. A regular comedy sounds great, though."

After everyone got their food, Christy put a DVD in the DVD player. The movie started, and the girls chatted throughout it. Halfway through the movie, the conversation turned to boyfriends. Joey got up, excused herself, and left the room. Christy told the others, "She and her boyfriend just broke up. We really shouldn't talk about guys tonight, okay?"

Ivy and Leah nodded, sympathetically. Christy got up to look for Joey, who was in the bathroom. Christy opened the door without knocking. Joey, who was quietly crying, jumped, startled.

Christy hugged her. "I'm really sorry. I told them to stop talking about it."

Quickly wiping her eyes, Joey said, "No. No, it's okay. I'm fine."

"Bullshit. No one is okay after a breakup. That's one of the reasons I'm having this party: to get your mind off of you-know-who."

Joey nodded, walking past her. "I don't want to stop the fun."

"Are you kidding? I couldn't have a party without my best friend. They aren't fun without you."

Joey stopped and smiled at Christy a bit, gratefully. "Thank you. I'll try to lighten up."

The two went back to the living room and continued watching the movie. Joey kept glancing over at Leah and struck up a conversation with her. "So, you're from France?"

"Oui. Paris."

"That's so exciting. My father and I have gone there before. It was breathtaking."

"I miss it, but I'm glad I have the opportunity to come here. New York City is so fascinating, especially the museums."

This peaked Joey's interest. "Yes. New York has some great art museums. Maybe we can go to one this weekend, if you're up to it."

Leah nodded. "I would like that. A tour of the city would be fantastic."

"How about we meet on Saturday at 2?"

"That would be great."

Joey grinned, pleased that she was making a new friend. It made the night pass so much better. She was happy for Christy, but disappointed that she herself didn't have a license. She pushed those feelings aside, however. This night was for her best friend, and she didn't want to ruin it.

The four teenagers watched a couple of movies, barely disturbed by Christy's parents. They ate snacks and showed each other funny or interesting posts they had found on social media. Joey was able to forget all her troubles during that time.

At 11, Joey called Mr. Peabody to come pick her up. She didn't really want to leave, but the next day was a school day, and she needed plenty of sleep. When her father arrived, the teenager said her goodbyes to her friends and left to go home.


End file.
